Bombadil touring again, will perform in Gaffney and Greenville

When Bombadil performs Friday at Capri on Main, it won't be the first time the Durham, N.C.-based folk-pop outfit has been to Gaffney.

By DAN ARMONAITISdan.armonaitis@shj.com

When Bombadil performs Friday at Capri on Main, it won't be the first time the Durham, N.C.-based folk-pop outfit has been to Gaffney.“The last time we were in Gaffney, we went and took a look at the peach tower and had a really nice time,” said drummer James Phillips, who was delighted to see the local landmark featured in an episode of “House of Cards,” a Netflix original series starring Kevin Spacey.“It's great to see public works projects like that,” Phillips said. “Of course if someone asked me about it before it (was built), I would've probably told them it was a bad idea. But now I'm happy that it exists in the world.”Bombadil, which also performs tonight at The Radio Room in Greenville, is gearing up for its busiest touring schedule in quite some time.Since 2009, the band has been relegated to playing a few spot gigs because of a debilitating nerve injury sustained by bassist Daniel Michalak that affected the use of his hands.“We decided to take a break from playing shows, but I guess we never really took a break from the band,” Phillips said. “We all lived in different places, but we just kept on working on songs.”But when its album, “Tarpits and Canyonlands,” was released in 2010, Bombadil was unable to undertake the kind of national tour that might have transformed the band into a bigger name in the music world.At the time of Michalak's injury, the group had been gaining traction with a significant amount of critical acclaim and slots on such renowned music festivals as Bonnaroo, FloydFest and Shakori Hills.Now, with an upcoming album, “Metrics of Affection,” set for release this summer, Bombadil — which also includes pianist Stuart Robinson and non-touring guitarist Bryan Rahija — hopes to rekindle the buzz that it had been getting for its quirky, folk-laced indie-pop sound.“We feel really good about the record, and the label (Ramseur Records) is really happy with it,” Phillips said.

“We're on the road again, which we haven't been able to do for a couple of years, so we've got our fingers crossed.“But we also have very reasonable, realistic expectations. We're much more in it for the long haul than just thinking this record will make or break our career.”Ramseur Records is most famous for producing the Avett Brothers, a Grammy-nominated band also from North Carolina.“It's really great,” Phillips said of Bombadil's connection to the Avett Brothers. “They're really kind and very supportive of our music. And, also, they've shown us directly that it can be done — that you can work hard and play shows — and it can pay off.”The members of Bombadil draw from a variety of influences but have a particular affinity for the seminal British rock band The Kinks.“Unfortunately, I don't think a lot of people know (the Kinks) as much these days,” Phillips said. “They'll be like, ‘What does your band sound like?' And we're like, ‘We really like The Kinks.' And a lot of times, you kind of get a blank stare.”